Filter



Feb. 23, 1937.

c.- A. wlNsLow FILTER Filed July 17. 1953 Patented Feb. A23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT. AOFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to fuel and oil iilters for internal combustion engines and the like.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of .a new and improved filter having novel means for controlling the movement of oil or fuel through the lter, whereby the' latter may be cleaned during the operation of the engine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for intercepting the ow of unfiltered liquid to the lter element during the operation of the engine with which the device is associated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved oil and/or fuel filter which is inexpensive to manufacture, efiicient in operation, easily installed and that is composed of a minimum number of moving parts.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in whichl Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an engine showing the invention in position thereon; l Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a modilied form of filter construction.

In the operation of internal combustion engines, it is common practice to filter the oil supplied to the bearings. The filter element at times becomes clogged and will not permit the proper iiow of oil through the lter, thus necessitating the cleaning ofthe element. In the common use of filters, it is necessary to stop the engine in order to clean the iilter. The present invention seeks to remedy this diiiiculty by the provision of simple means whereby the filter element, or elements, as the case may be, can be cleaned without the necessity of stopping the engine.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference character I II designates generally an internal combustion engine of the usual or any wellknown construction. I

'I'he crank case wall II (see Fig. 3) is provided with a boss or pad I2 to which the base of the filter I3 is attached, as by the bolts I4 which extend through flanges in the base and are tapped into the boss or pad I2.

The lter assembly may comprise a single filter casing and lter unit, or a plurality of these casings and corresponding filter elements. In the form of construction selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the filter assembly comprises the two filter units I5 and I50. Since these units are substantially the same, only one need be described.

The basev I3 is provided with the two passages IIS and II extending longitudinally thereof which may be termed the main intake and discharge passages for the iilter. The outer ends of these passages are threaded for receiving suitable plugs 10 20 and 30 for closing the ends of these passages. The base is also provided with a transverse passage I8 which is in alignment with a corresponding opening I9 through the pad or boss I2. Secured in the inner end of the opening I9 is a pipe 15 2l for conducting the oil from the pump within the crank case to the lter.

The outer end of the passage I8 is in communication with the longitudinal passage I6. The pipe 2|, opening I9 and passages I8 and I6 con- 20 stitute what for convenience of description will be termed the intake passage of the filter.

The base I3 is also provided with a transverse passage 22 which is in communication at one end with the longitudinal passage I'I and at its other 25 end is in alignment with an opening 23 through the pad I2. A pipe 24 secured in the inner end of the opening 23 is adapted to conduct oil to the bearings of the engine in the usual manner. The pipe 24, opening 23 and passages 22 and I'I con- 30 stitute what will be termed the discharge passage of the lter.

Suitable means are provided for Icy-passing the unfiltered oil around the lilter, or filters, when the resistance to the iiow of oil through the same rises above a predetermined amount. As shown, a passage 25 normally closed by spring pressed valve 26 is employed for this purpose. This passage connects the intake and discharge passages IB and 22. The valve 26 may be in the form 40 of a ball yieldingly held to its seat by a spring 2l located in the bore 28 which is closed at its outer end by a screw threaded plug 29 secured in the outer end of the opening. By means'of this plug, the tension of the spring 21 may be 45 adjusted. The outer end of this spring seats in l a recess in the inner end of the plug. A cap 3| constitutes a lock nut for securing the plug 29 in adjusted position.

In starting an engine in cold Weather, the oil in the crank case may be too viscid` to iiow through either the filter or the pipe 24, and, in that event, it is necessary or desirable to shunt the oil around both the filter and the bearings. 55

In the form of construction shown, a transverse passage 32 is provided in the casing and this passage is in alignment with an opening 33 through the boss I2 into the interior of the crank case. A relief passage 34 connects the intake passage I8 with the relief passage 32. The passage 34 is normally closed by a spring pressed valve 35 which,v. in the form of construction shown, is a piston held in its seat` by a spring 36 which is seated in a screw-threaded plug 31 secured in the outer end of a passage 38 in communication with the passage 32. The plug 31 may be adjusted for varying the tension of the spring 36. A cap 39 is adapted to lock the plug 31 in adjusted position and protect the outer end of the plug. The base I3 is provided on its upper side with one or more seats 4I for receiving the lower edge of the filter casing 42. As shown, `the seat is in the form of a groove for receiving the lower end of said casing. Mounted within the casing `42 is the filter element' 43. This element is mounted on a tube 44 which is threaded at its lower end for engaging in the upper end of the auxiliary discharge passage 45which in turn is in communication with the main discharge passage I1. This tube extends through the casing 42 and the nut 46 engages the upper end thereof for holding the casing in position on the base I3. The filter element 43 which may consist of any suitable material, as woven Wire, or a plurality of disks of lter material, is mounted on the tube 44. The tube 44 is provided with a. plurality of openings 49 within the lter element 43 through which the filtered oil may pass into the passages 45 and TI after passing through the filter element.

An auxiliaryintake passage 48 extends upwardly from the main intake passage I6 and has secured therein a short tube 50 for conducting oil into the interior of the casing 42 below the lter element 43. The base I3 is provided with a sump I extending about the tubes 44 and 5U, in which the impurities from the oil may settle.

Suitable means are provided for closing the passages leading to and from the casing 42 when it is desired to clean the filter element during the operation of the engine. In the form of construction shown, a recess or bore 52 beneath each lter unit is provided in the base I3. This bore .extends transversely to and is in communication with the intake and discharge passages I6 and I1 and is closed by a plug 59 threaded in the inner end of the bore. In the form of construction shown, this bore is located above the passages I6 and I1. The bore 52 is provided with a plunger or piston 53 which has restricted portions or circumferential grooves 54 and 55 for permitting the oil to pass from the passage I6 to the tube 5I) and into the casing 42 when the parts are in position shown in Fig. 3. The plunger 53 is slidably mounted in the bore 52 and is provided at its outer end with a stem 56 which is slidably mounted in an opening in the end Wall 51 of the bore 52. A spring 58 in contact with the plug 59 seated in a recess in the inner end of the plunger 53 tends to force the plunger outwardly against the end wall 51. The plunger is held in position shown in Fig. 3 by a screw threaded plug 6I engaging an `opening in the base I3 opposite the stem 56. 'Ihis plug is provided with a recess 60 forming a seat for the outer end of the stem 56. When the plug 6I is unscrewed a sufficient distance or is removed, the plunger 53 will be forced to the right in Fig. 3 against the wall 51 and the cylindrical portions 62l and 63 of the plug will close the passages 48 and 45, respectively. vThe removal of the plug will permit the' oil and sludge within the sump 5I to be discharged therefrom.

In the operation of the device, the oil from the crankcase is forced by a suitable pump through the intake passage I6 past the restricted portion 54 of the plunger 53 and through the passage 48 and tube 58 into the casing 42 beneath the filter element and above the sump 5I. After passing through the lter element and tube 44, the oil is discharged through the passage 45 and restricted portion 55 of the plunger 53 into the discharge passage I1. Each of the filter casings I5 and |50 is provided with a plunger 53 whereby the oil may be cut off from either or both of the filters, as may be desired. When it is desired to clean either of the lters, the corresponding plug 6I is unscrewed a suicient distance or removed which permits the spring l58 to move the plug to the right in Fig. 3 for closing the passages 48 and 45, after which, by removing the nut 46, the casing and filter element may be removed for cleaning, and returned or replaced without stopping or interfering with the operation of the engine. During the cleaning operation if both filters are being cleaned, the oil will be conducted through the bearings to the shunt passage 25. After the parts' have been reassembled, the nut 6I is replaced, which, in turn, will force the plunger 53 to the left for aligning the restricted portions 54 and 55 with the passages 48 and 45, respectively. The oil will then be conducted through the iilter in the usual manner.

If desired, the pipes 2I and 24 may be removed, and plugs inserted therein and those pipes connected with the ends of the passages I6 and I1 by a suitable tubular connection after the plugs 20 and 3D at one end have been removed.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification of the device in which the pipes leading from the pump and to the bearings are connected to the intake and discharge passages I6!) and I1I), respectively, from the lower side of the casing |30. In this construction, short passages 64 and 85 extend from the lower portion of the base |30 to the passages I60 and |10, respectively. The walls of the outer ends of these short passages 64 and 65 are threaded for receiving the threaded ends of the pipes ZID and 240, respectively.

When it is desired to use the lter for ltering the fuel instead of the oil, the intake and discharge pipes may be connected at either end ofthe passages I6 and I1 by removing the plugs 2U and 3U, or in the form of construction shown in Fig. 5, they may be connected to the passages E4 and 65, as shown in that figure.

Where a plurality of filter units are employed, one at a time may be cleaned While the oil is being iiltered by the other unit or units. In that manner, the oil may be ltered without stopping the engine and without the necessity of supplying unfiltered oil to the engine during the cleaning operation.

The spring 36 is heavier than the spring 21 whereby when the oil forced through the intake passage of the filter will, when it meets resistance above a predetermined amount to its circulation through the lter, unseat the valve 26 and shunt the unfiltered oil around the filter. If the resistance further increases, the Valve 35 will finally become unseated and the oil will ;flow through the relief passage 32. 'e

It is'thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawing that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art and that changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In mechanism for filtering a fluid for use in an internal combustion engine, a plurality of filtering units, a common base for said units, means for attaching said base to an engine, common intake and discharge passages for said units, a sump within the lower portion of each unit, a passage from each sump to the exterior of said unit, means comprising a spring-pressed plunger for selectively simultaneously opening certain of said last-named passages and for intercepting the flow of said iluid to and from certain of said units to the exclusion of the remainder, and a closure for said sump engaging said plunger for holding the same in retracted' position, whereby when said closure is removed said plunger will automatically close the intake and discharge passages to the corresponding filter and the oil within said filter may drain from said' sump, thus permitting said filter to be cleaned without af- Iecting the operation of the remaining filter.

'2. A base for a filter comprising a body portion, a sump in said body portion, said sump having a discharge opening, an attaching flange for said body portion, main intake and discharge passages within said body portion, auxiliary intake and discharge passages in communication with said main intake and discharge passages, respectively, said body portion being provided with a base extending transversely to and intercepting said auxiliary passages, a plunger having portions for simultaneously closing said last named passages when said plunger is in one position and for opening said passages when in another position, resilient means for normally holding said plunger in extended position to close said auxiliary passages, a cap for holding said plunger in retracted position for opening said last-named passages, said cap constituting a closure for said sump discharge passage,'a by-pass within said base between said main intake and discharge passages, a spring-pressed valve in said by-pass, a relief passage within said base in communication with said main intake passage, and a spring-pressed valve in said relief passage.

CHARLES A. WINSLOW. 

